Musical Directors
Dave Gordon-Shute
David trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music. Through the fantastic experiences of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the European Union Youth Orchestra came a passion for music: both playing and teaching.
David regularly freelances with the major London orchestras including the LSO, RPO, LPO, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the BBC Orchestras and has enjoyed playing on various soundtracks including The Two Towers and Zero Dark Thirty. David has been the tuba teacher at Eton College since 2001, receiving a promotion in 2009 to Head of Brass. In addition, he has coached the tuba section of the NYO, the brass section of the Herts County Youth Orchestra and given masterclasses all over the world with Onyx Brass including the Juilliard School in New York. Since 2009 David has been branching out as a conductor.
He is currently musical director of Hertfordshire County Youth Wind Sinfonia, the Ealing Wind Orchestra and Conductor of the Eton College Symphonic Wind Band, as well as occasional guest conductor with other groups including the Royal College of Music Wind Orchestra, and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Wind Band.
He combines this work with his teaching, and performing as principal tuba of Birmingham Royal Ballet. Since 2007, David has been a humanist funeral celebrant.
Felix McGonigal
Felix McGonigal is a graduate of The Queen’s College, Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Music where she studied conducting with Colin Metters, George Hurst and Sir Colin Davis.
She currently also holds the post of Director of Music Specialism for the Twyford C of E Academies Trust (Twyford C of E High School, William Perkin C of E High School, Ealing Fields High School and Ada Lovelace C of E High School) and is Music Director of Ealing Junior Music School.
She is involved with many educational and community music organisations, Spode Music Week and the Choir of Our Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More, Chelsea.
